Besides too, it is a thing most easie to be done to fix the soul of ☽ or ♄ (that is carried [or forced] up, together with the volatile Spirit,) in the said instrument with ☉; which to effect, there (otherwise) needs a longer time. Therefore even by this one only process is both made a most excellent Medicament, and withal, ☉ is gotten too. These things we have here exposed in very few and plain Words most agreeable to the truth, and do most exactly answer to experience; nor is there any reason of blaming me because of my speaking somewhat obscurely, seeing it is evident that not one of my Predecessors did ever exhibit (or publish) any of those things. Well, what shall I say? Excellent Gold may be extracted out of all the kinds of Metals, by the help of Salt-petre; yea with so much facility; that it would seem an incredible thing to most Men, though I should clearly set down all the circumstances, word for word: But yet this (extraction is) not (to be done) without the benefit (or help) of ☉ and ☽: For when we have a purpose of augmenting any thing, there must in the first place of necessity be the seed of the thing that is to be augmented, and according to the quality of the seed there must be a fit matrix in which it may take its growth or increase. For example, When we seek for the increasing of any vegetable seed, we prepare a convenient Earth for the same, to which Earth we commit that seed, and so the like sort of Herb buds forth, which doth again produce thousands of seeds; which seeds are again put into the Earth, and so are multiplied even to infinity. This multiplication of Vegetables is sufficiently enough known, and a most easie work it is to multiply a Vegetable, if we have but its seed, and that it be well conserved least it die. So likewise out of one Fire may be made many yea infinite other Fires, for one is always kindled by another. But when all the seed is dead, ’tis an impossible thing to produce a new seed.
Therefore the most Great and Blessed GOD, hath most excellently ordered it, so that the seed of Vegetables may be kept the year about; for if it should not be so, we might well fear the destruction of the chief Herbs in the Winter season, which now (by the benefit of their seeds sowed in the Earth) we are able to produce a new.
Now the progress or order of the seed of Animals is widely different from these, although that even they are committed to such like Animal bodies, as being their fruitful soil, for multiplication sake: But yet this sowing is done by a vastly different way from that of Vegetables; For we can keep the seed of the Vegetables, and carry it from place to place and so plant or sow it in any part of the Earth we please; which cannot be done with the seed of Animals for we cannot so conserve that, or transport it out of one place into another, or sow it as listeth us our selves. But it must be committed unto the matrix, in that very moment of time that it passeth out, for it cannot be fruitful and entire if it be but a moment of time out of the body. The sowing therefore and conception are performed both together by both bodies, viz. by the Male and Female. The cause of this thing is thus, because the seed of the Animals abounds with a volatile, invisible, and living Spirit; which once lost the work of multiplication is wholly taken away. Therefore like as one [Animal] multiplication is perfected so is the other, nor may we by any means transgress the course of nature.
In like manner are the Minerals also multiplied, and by the same manner that it is once perfected by, is it to be always after perfected by.
The Multiplication of the Vegetables and Animals is well enough known to every one, and is every where done, nor (by reason of its being so very common) doth it at all cause in any one an admiration; But the multiplication of the Minerals is not so publick a thing, for there are but a very few that understand it, though it be as easie as the multiplication of Vegetables and Animals, insomuch that I also believe, that there is not any one to be found, that is so stupidly foolish, that would not be able presently to apprehend and do the same, were the way but shown unto him. Now that there are so many that erre, and who walk in an unlawful or contrary path, this is not to be imputed to the art it self, but to those that meddle therewithal so inconsiderately, and do not imitate nature, who always keeps her course allotted her by God.
The Multiplication therefore of the Metals doth solely consist in the knowledge of the seed; for as the condition or quality of the seed sown is, like fruits will follow, such nature as the seed you sow is of, such fruits will you reap, and no other. For Example, I seek after ☉: Therefore I must first of all, of necessity have the seed of ☉, at hand, afore I can sow it or multiply it. Now to have this seed, we must not set about it with words or imagination, but by (getting) the knowledge of nature; for she shews us the safest way, if we did not withdraw our selves from hearing her teach us. Now like as she commits ☉ and ☽ to the Earth, even so, and no otherwise must we also do, if we hope for any good success.
And as we said above, that there lies hidden in every Vegetable and Animal seed, a certain vital or procreating Spirit, without which it is wholly unfit for ought; even so, there resides a certain Spirit in the Minerals, which vivifies and effecteth all, which being absent, death it self follows. This spirit is of no weight or form, and there is nothing to be seen by us but only the habitation or house wherein it dwells; so that scarce the thousandth part of the seed is life and spirit, all the rest is dead. The truth of this thing doth (among other things) appear even from hence, viz. if some Vegetable seed be kept beyond its due and naturally appointed time, whereby the Vegetative virtue and spirit vanisheth, it doth not yield any fruit at all, nor can it multiply it self, though it hath its former shape, bigness, and former weight. And therefore, there is not any thing in the three-fold Kingdom of either Vegetables, Animals, or Minerals, but is procreated and multiplied meerly and solely by the benefit of this spirit and implanted Life.
Therefore, even as all the Metals were first wrought after a spiritual manner by the Stars in the Earth (in a convenient Matrix) by the Stars, and made fix; so according as the Matrix it self is pure or impure, so pure or impure Metals are generated; now the Matrix of all things is water or moist earth, in which the Stars are congregated (or united together) are made corporeal, grow up, and are multiplied. Here therefore, if Art would imitate nature, there are required Male-like Astrums and Feminine Matrixes, in which the Astrums may exercise their operations. Therefore by how much purer the metallick Astrum or seed is, and the Matrix purer, so much the nobler effect is produced; and so on the contrary.
But seeing that there is not any Star nobler than ☉, nor Matrix nobler than ☽, there is no more required, but that we make common ☉ Astral by Art; and that we prepare ☽ on such wise, as that it may be instead of a Matrix, wherein the Astrums of ☉ may exercise his operations; and so without doubt, there will thence come such Children as will be like their Parents. Nor is there any ground for any one to think that there is any other way allotted to augment ☉ and ☽, besides that afore mentioned which is to be instituted in a spiritual manner: After this manner the World it self was Created, where the Spirit of God moved upon the Water and impregnated it; and even as we daily see that the Stars do impart to the inferiour things their virtues, and they are thereby multiplied; even so may we do the same by art in these inferiour things; for such as are above, are also beneath. Those above are beyond our reach; but the inferiour ones, not so: For art can do the same with or upon the inferiour things, as the Stars upon the superiour ones. As Hermes doth clearly demonstrate in the Smaragdine Table. He that understands these my sayings, will also understand those things, which Paracelsus delivers in his Book of the Vexation of Alchymists, in the 5th. Rule especially of ☽; and Basil (Valentine) where he treats of Sulphur.
It is a thing most easie to be done, but most difficult to be found out, to multiply even the most vile Metals, by the help of the Astrums, and by this secret way. He that well knows Salt-petre and can rightly handle the same, will by the help thereof perform a many profitable things; for as it is altogether impossible to get ☉ out of the viler Metals, without it: So on the contrary it is most easie so to do by its help. Briefly, He that knows how to handle Salt-petre aright, he will excellently well understand the Writings of the Philosophers, and let him know, that he has a light given him, to arrive unto great Secrets.